


Crown of Guilt

by Heroic_Euphoria



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Angst, Drama, Emotional Hurt, Forced Pregnancy, Guilt, M/M, Married Characters, Mpreg, Resentment, Situational Humiliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-16 13:35:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18095324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heroic_Euphoria/pseuds/Heroic_Euphoria
Summary: Robin is forced to deal with the ramifications of his past life, a life where he was Grima and in control of the world. A world he was flung from, losing his memories and his status as the Fell Dragon and returning to being a regular man. As a man, he marries Chrom and searches for himself at the Wellspring of Truth. He finds Grima was creating a royal bloodline for the Grimleal to worship and used his vessel's body to bear the heir as convenience.Things were never supposed to be this way. Robin is just a man, he is no better equipped to deal with childbearing than the next man over. Yet, here he is. He has no choice but to endure the consequences of a life he doesn't remember living and learn to live in peace with it. [An experimental approach to MPreg]





	1. Village Rumors

Townsfolk the realm over thought he had an unbreakable spine. A tactful, schemingly-intelligent mastermind one would hate if not on their side. It was the respect Robin appreciated most, other than that his humility overtook any praise drifting his way from any direction in particular. After the defeat of Gangrel, he was appointed  _ Grandmaster _ , the chief tactician of Ylisse. Not long after that, he married the Exalt, Chrom. Now they were enjoying solace, for the most part, as they worked to rebuild that which was wrought to the bone by countless scorns and battles. Quickly after marriage the couple rose to their roles as leaders and rode the realm. The people flocked to them, adorning them with their allegiance. Most couples went on honeymoons, not royal tours and rebuilding effort campaigns. Despite this, it was what it was, and the couple was thankful for having the opportunity to aid the people. 

Legend spoke of a wellspring that reflected the true self, or hidden secrets of the beholder, deep within the ruins outside one of Ylisse’s remote villages. Whispers of it floated throughout the town as the royal couple and their entourage surveyed any materials the town might require. 

Chrom spoke with the mayor at the town hall,  his  _ Prince Consort  _ at his side. The mayor was a flamboyant hand-talker, clearly the most colorful and lively of the fairly monotonous town. His animations caused Robin to watch his mannerisms intently as he wondered just what in the village motivated him to have such energy. Robin concluded it was simply his personality, but then realized that to him he was speaking with the royal couple. He swallowed the thought away.

“Milords, if you please, search for the  _ Wellspring of Truth _ ,” the mayor said. “The legend speaks of it just north of here. If you find it, there is said to be treasures abound!” He waved his arms. “You’ll also get personal insights, I hear.”

“We’ll keep it in mind,” Chrom said with a nod. “Thank you.”

 

**~*~**

 

Later on in the evening, the couple leaned back in their shared bed at the local inn. Robin sighed, running his fingers along the map of the halidom in his notebook. He was just six weeks married, and though Chrom was his closest confidant, he didn’t want to push boundaries or ask for too much. Robin understood he  _ could _ ask for whatever he wanted, but he usually refrained. It wasn’t necessarily Chrom that intimidated him, but rather the royal courts that surrounded them like puffs of dust kicked up from a spar. Robin was tired in some ways, he had fought long and hard during the war and now he didn’t feel like fighting anyone, whether that battle be a physical or mental one. 

Chrom wrapped his arm around Robin’s shoulder. Their heads touched as he leaned closer. “What are you looking at?” he asked with a smile. 

“Just a map,” Robin mumbled, his mind preoccupied. 

“What are you thinking?”

“Nothing…”

Chrom cocked his brow. “You know I know when you’re fibbing, right?” he chuckled. 

“I was wondering about the wellspring the mayor spoke of.”

“Heh. I don’t need some glorified puddle telling me who I am,” Chrom scoffed. “I appreciate that it excites him, but we don’t have time for such shallow inquires.”

Robin frowned and shut the book. He realized this was the first time him and his husband weren’t on the same page about something. Perhaps Chrom wouldn’t understand. Chrom wasn’t an amnesiac with a foggy past, he had a strong sense of self. It was one of the things that made him so admirable, what made him so admired. It was one the qualities Robin loved in him that he lack in himself. 

“I don’t know who I am…” Robin said aloud. His fingers danced over his lips when he realized he had, regret coming over him. 

Chrom leaned back. “What? You are Robin, Grandmaster and Prince Consort of Ylisse, a war veteran, a skilled mage-”

“I don’t mean _ labels _ , Chrom,” Robin sighed. “Those are easy enough to slap on anyone. I mean, I don’t know what’s really underneath what I have no memory of. There’s a haze underneath everything I know, because I understand that I knew a great deal of  _ other _ things before I met you. I can’t remember any of it and I can’t do a thing about it.”

“Robin…” Chrom exhaled. His hand moved to brush through his husband’s silver hair. “You want to look for this spring, don’t you? You want to see if it holds any clues to your past.”

Robin swallowed, saying nothing in return. He couldn’t hide much from his husband, though Chrom was oblivious to many things, Robin was not one of them. When Robin and his emotions were involved, Chrom was quick to pick up on it and quick to pursue it further.  Sometimes Robin thought it both a blessing and curse; there really wasn’t anything he could hold back to himself. 

“I’m so sorry,” Chrom said. “I didn’t mean to scoff at the idea, I just...I take for granted I know and understand myself. I don’t know what it feels like to be an amnesiac, Robin.  If you want to look for this spring we’ll do it if you think it’ll benefit you.”

“There’s nothing saying it indeed exists….” Robin responded. “But if it did, it might explain some things.”

“Alright. We’ll work it into the itinerary.” 

“What will the royal courts say of this?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re the ones riding through the halidom, not them. I tend to ignore them when it comes to their opinions on my personal life and marriage, my love,  _ as you know _ .”

Robin frowned again. Memories of some of the court’s  contempt at seeing him marry the exalt resurfaced. Jealousy and fits of resentment filtered through the castle when Robin was given the title of _ Prince Consort. _ Many a woman had their hopes of being Queen crushed and many a man didn’t even realize that being Exalt Chrom’s husband was a fantasy with a hint of realism to it. 

“I know. I just hope they don’t make a fuss. I don’t want to cause any more stirs than I already have,” Robin said. He leaned back against his pillow. 

Chrom shifted overtop him and gave him a kiss. “You’re wonderful in all your roles. If they fuss, it’s on them.”

“I suppose…”

“Nevermind that.” Chrom kissed him again. “Let me savor you.”

As Robin allowed his husband to enrapture him with kind caresses and intimate movements, there was a part of him preoccupied with himself. Through every moan that came out his mouth was another inward speculation of what might be lurking deep within him. He was quite good at playing two cards at once, his strategic tendencies overlapped in every part of his life. One side of him could become intoxicated by what his husband did to him in the sheets, while the other mused about years lived he had no knowledge of. He hated that he couldn’t even enjoy love making without over analyzing himself, but he couldn’t help it. He hoped the wellspring would be found and it would help with many things echoing in his distant self. 


	2. Reflections of Truth

The Wellspring of Truth was found within a couple days of searching. There were riches abound, just as the mayor of the local village said there was. The ruins were desolate and barren, the trickles of the water the noise in the quiet of boot clicks and clinking armor. Chrom combed through the chests littered around the cracked marble flooring as Robin made his way to the wellspring in the center of the space. He was secretly glad Chrom was preoccupied; Robin wanted to pursue this alone. This was for him and his piece of mind above all. 

The water was clear, showing the blue tiling at the bottom of the well. It was serene, majestic almost, as the water waved from the flow of steady streams coming from the pillar in the center. He dipped his finger in it, the contact cool. His body leaned forward against the edge of the well, his reflection coming into view. It was a normal sight, one he had come in contact with many times over his short span of having memories. Suddenly, there was a stark change. His eyes shifted color, glaring him down with a crimson gaze. What appeared as red paint was on his cheeks, two lines on either side, each with an eerie slanted eye pattern. Robin gasped at the change and stumbled back away from the spring. His heart pounded in his throat at the imagery, confusion in his rapid thoughts as he tried to make sense of it. 

A figure appeared from the spring. It was gloomy, a black aura surrounding a cloaked presence. It wore an outfit similar to Robin’s, the shadowy presence opting to pull the hood over its head to cover its eyes and face. Only the tip of the nose and the mouth were visible on the countenance, but Robin felt eyes on him as his breath was snatched from his lungs. 

“By looking for yourself, you’ve awakened me,” the figure said. It’s voice was guttural, but for the most part, resembled Robin’s. The figure chuckled. “It’s about time.”

“Wh-What?” Robin mumbled. He turned around, seeing Chrom still picking at a chest. 

“He won’t notice you, even if you call to him. We’re in our own mirage of time, I’ve made it so.”

“What are you?”

“Some might call me the hierophant. Others,  _ Grima. _ ”

Robin swallowed. He shook his head, his eyes still darting from the figure to Chrom’s oblivious tinkering. He squeezed his hand into a fist as he sat staring up at what had manifested before him. His lips were dry as he tried to pose a question, but couldn’t work up the words to speak it.

“Yes, otherwise known as the Fell Dragon,” Grima said. “I am the vessel for the great God Grima, I am Grima!”

“H-How…” Robin uttered. He could muster nothing more. 

“I am from another time, a future-past, if you will. I was flung here through a portal, and now my powers to influence the outside world are depleted. But, that doesn’t matter much now, because I have you.” Grima paused, and when Robin said nothing, continued. “I’ve been waiting for the time when you would be strong enough to awaken me. You see, we are one in the same. I am you, you are me. The difference is our timelines and our current physical manifestations. Because of that, I can see inside of you. I can read your mind, feel your movements, your emotions and physical experiences. You are an amnesiac, but I can see your past life. You were once a being of greatness. I will see to it that you can become what I could not, that you return to the glory of your other world.”

“Wha-What are you talking about?!” Robin said, his voice frantic. His vision danced back and forth, anxiety forming a rock in the pit of his stomach. 

“You are from another time as well. Once you were in your godly form in its entirety, the image you saw in the spring was you. It was glorious. You ruled the world with an iron fist, your pet little exalt right at your side in submission to everything you commanded. That was until those meddling children drained your power and you fell into a deep sleep. After that, you were flung from that world to this one, wiping your memories.”

“I--I--” Robin stumbled on his words. “I won’t submit to Grima if this is true. I don’t care what I was before. I won’t repeat it! I am a human being that wants good in the world! Not a...not a...virulent creature!”

“Perhaps you are human.  _ For now _ .” Grima clicked his tongue. “You can stay that way for the time being as well.”

“What do you mean  _ for now? _ ”

“You will serve Grima’s purpose nonetheless.” Grima sighed with a hint of satisfaction. “Now is the time, your physicality is strong enough.”

Robin bit his cheek until it bled. “Strong enough for what?”

“To continue the Fell bloodline. There is a child seeded deep within you. It’s very small, very unassuming, and early in its growth, but it’s there.”

“What manner of madness is that?” Robin scoffed. “You don’t expect me to believe that nonsense, do you?”

“You’ll believe me when you see it with your own eyes!” Grima exclaimed. “In your glory, you sought to ensure the continuation of the bloodline in the event that your vessel grew weak or damaged. Beyond that, you wanted to begin a royal family of Fell blood for the Grimleal to worship and praise. The succession of Grima’s reign would extend far, far into the future. You were newly conceived when you were flung to this time. I saw this inside of you, and I froze the child’s growth until the time was right.”

“Nonsense. Nonsense.  **_Nonsense!_ ** ” Robin shouted back at him. “What are you saying, I had a mistress?”

“No. You kept that defeated exalted dog at your side. You had no need of a mistress when you were a god capable of things beyond human possibility. Carrying the heir yourself meant that Grima’s unadulterated power would flow through the child, power none had ever seen, since Grima has never bore a child!”

“I am a man, you  _ imbecile! _ I can’t bear a child. I require a surrogate to have children with my husband.”

“A man now, yes, but in this other world, a man you were not!” Grima snarled, his lips curling. “A god is capable of things humans are not! If what is necessary is lacking, Grima has the power to will  it so. Hence, the conception of your child. Grima created the suitable conditions for this transpirance.”

“So? I’m not Grima anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter. You were Grima in his full power when the heir was conceived. Thus, your being as it is now will carry it and bear it.”

“Bear a child how?” Robin retorted, incredulous to everything that had been said. “Need I explain male anatomy?”

“No, you deluded  _ gnat _ ,” Grima scoffed again. “I just told you, Grima  _ creates. _ When the time comes, the conditions for a natural birth will present itself, all thanks to the benevolence of Grima.” 

“Benevolence?  _ Benevolence?! _ ” Robin retorted. 

“Yes. The power of the Fell Dragon is immeasurable. It can create life where life was thought inconceivable!” Grima grinned. “I will return to assist you in delivering the child. Until then, I must regain the power drained from your slumber. The growth of Grima’s heir is not predictable. You cannot use human months as a measure. Though, you will see it grow, and if you were _ smart _ , you would use that as your guide. See you soon.”

Grima disappeared, leaving the serene well in his wake. Robin stared at the water, and his normal reflection stared back. There was a horrified expression on his face as he studied his fearful eyes. Chrom walked behind him and placed his hand on his shoulder. 

“We’re about to head back to camp. Come when you’re ready,” he said. 

“I--I’m ready…” Robin mumbled. He stumbled off the well’s edge. “Let’s head...back….”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Welcome to my fanfiction. :)
> 
> I've written a few Chrobin fic on AO3, but this one is by far the most experimental. I decided on putting "experimental approach to Mpreg" in the description to let readers know that this really something entirely new in regards to my writing. I'm in uncharted territory when it comes to this, but I decided to push the boundaries of my craft and try things I'd always told myself were "off limits" to write, because I didn't think I had the skills to pull it off well. You never know unless you try, and this is my first attempt at the Mpreg thing. 
> 
> This story approaches Mpreg differently than the "stereotypical" view of the sub-genre. There are many fics that take a male couple and give them biological children as if they were heterosexual and don't acknowledge that there is a biological conflict of interest. I think those are totally cool, fiction is fiction for a reason and I enjoy those from time to time. :)
> 
> However, that doesn't suit my writing style. This story acknowledges that in this particular story timeline it is not normal for males to be pregnant and there are consequences of an outside force manipulating the natural order of things. This story explores the concept of "my body isn't made for this, yet I'm forced into it anyways" and its impact emotionally and physically. I found the best way for this to work is to have Grima involved. A malevolent god has powers beyond human capability and can make an Mpreg possible. 
> 
> I hope you find this interesting! I may change/ update that tags and rating if need be. If you have any feedback, please feel free to give it, I love speaking with people here on AO3 and receiving comments as well as giving them. :)


	3. Confessions

Robin continued his normal routine as he returned to the castle. His encounter at the wellspring was horrifying and agonizing, but at the core, he didn’t know what to make of it at first. He was full of disbelief, thinking perhaps the water was diluted with some magic hex that causes nightmarish hallucinations. Nothing much in his body had changed since the encounter. He wrote the experience off and lived his life as a new royal and a freshly married man still in the flush of the honeymoon phase. 

That was until two weeks after he arrived back from the royal tour. He woke and stretched, Chrom having already left for some early morning training. Robin tried to roll over to his husband’s side of the bed, but a small protrusion at his abdomen stopped him.  He felt his stomach over the fabric of his nightclothes, the outline of a small bump present. Robin panicked and bolted out of bed, making his over to the full-length mirror at the far side of his chambers. He took a look at his disheveled hair before his eyes scattered down. The bump was outlined by the cream fabric of his shirt. His swallowed down acid and lifted the hem, exposing his lower abdomen. He gasped and ran his hands along the harder skin at his midsection. 

_Surely I’m dreaming,_ he thought. _Surely, surely--_

“You’re not dreaming,” a voice said from behind him. 

Robin looked in the mirror and saw nothing behind him. He turned around anyway, Grima standing before him yet again. He looked the same as before, the hood pulled over his eyes. Robin dropped the hem of shirt and stared at him. 

“The child is growing,” Grima said. “It’s a wonderful sight. The heir was not hindered by its development being stalled.”

“What the hell?” Robin said, his jaw clenched. “What the hell is this?!”

“It’s what I explained to you before, you oblivious dolt. You’ll start having symptoms soon. No matter how agonizing things get, you will endure. There is no damage done to your body that Grima cannot repair.”

“My body wasn’t made for this! I am a man!”

“Perhaps, but that matters not. You have the blood of a god in your veins, and that power will see you through.”

Robin turned back to the mirror. He continued to study his changing form. “H-How am I going to tell Chrom this?”

“You’re the damn strategist,  _ you  _ figure it out. If it were up to me that heinous hound wouldn’t know a thing.”

“Will you go the hell away?!” Robin spat, sighting his venomous expression in the mirror. 

Grima sighed. “Whatever. I’ll check on you again at a later time.”

Grima disappeared. Robin cupped the bump at the curve of his stomach and slid to the floor. He curled in himself, burying his head in his hands as he sobbed. He remained like this for a while until toiling sprouted in his stomach. He stood, rushing into the bath and relieving his stomach in a few bouts of vomiting. He washed his mouth, afterward filling the tub and climbing in. As he laid back in the suds, he focused on his throbbing heart. In the quiet, he focused on his slightly midsection. He couldn’t question the validity of Grima’s claims. Alone, all his focus on his lower torso, he felt another presence. He was  _ not _ alone. 

 

**~*~**

 

Robin paced the bookshelves in the castle library. He had combed through the archives in search of a specific book and was now coming upon the shelf. He pulled an age, yellow hardback from the row and slipped it under his tied coat, hurrying back to his chambers. Once there, he flipped through the pages, finding a variety of diagrams and drawn pictures. There were a variety of feminine upper torsos, each with a varying size curve at the stomach. They were varied by weeks, the higher the week count the larger the bump. Robin traced his trembling fingertips over the pictures. He lifted his shirt and compared himself to the drawings. The earlier drawings blended together as he scanned them, trying to find the right fit. He huffed, his breath shaking. Eight, nine, ten weeks? He couldn’t decide. He closed his eyes and opened them again, but his decision making was no better. He settled for nine weeks when a headache come over him. He crawled under the sheets of his bed and fell asleep. 

A few more weeks passed, Robin keeping his condition a secret from his husband. Chrom always lifted a brow when Robin refused making love, which was on multiple occasions. Robin knew he was likely causing some suspicion, as in their honeymoon phase, love making was nearly a nightly occurrence. He kept referring to the yellow hardback, noting every new symptom and change in his body, hiding it underneath his side of the bed when he was done with it, along with his other nighttime reads. 

The swell at his stomach was slightly larger, and he could no longer hide it without leaving his shirt untucked. He usually emptied his stomach in the early morning, right after Chrom left for his training. He was glad Chrom liked to train right after dawn, which allowed him to hide the sickness occurring to him. After clearing out his stomach, he’d be exhausted, crawling back into bed for a few more hours before attending his duties. He rearranged his schedule to accommodate, but even so, there were times where he was still late to his meetings. His back and hips had a dull ache when he walked. He thought it might be early for such a symptom, but he was different than the figures he referred to in his hardback. His body was  _ not made for this, _ that much was clear, and the toll it was taking on him early on made it painfully obvious. 

One morning Robin took a warm pad from where he was heating it in the bath. He returned to bed, placing it on his lower back and lying down. His back and hips were aching constantly and it was exhausting him before he had the chance to do anything. He’d wake in the early morning, empty his stomach, wash up, feel the aches coming on, warm the pad and return to bed. There wasn’t any sure way to measure his progress other than the swell of his stomach, which would’ve been seeable if he hadn’t gotten larger nightshirts. At night, he made sure Chrom was away from him so his soft touch wouldn’t run over the bump by accident. Robin bit back tears as the warmth soothed his skin. He couldn’t keep this up much longer. He speculated his body was reaching week twelve or thirteen by the looks the drawings, and soon he’d be looking peculiar for a man. He drifted until the door to the chambers opened. Chrom walked in, dressed in his armor and Falchion in its holster. He came up to Robin’s side of the bed and frowned. 

“Robin, in bed again?” Chrom sighed. 

Robin shrugged. “I--um, I’m sorry. I overslept again.”

“You don’t have to fib anymore. I know you’ve moved your schedule around to stay here longer in the mornings.”

Robin swallowed. He leaned up in bed, his back to the headboard, taking special care in keeping the blanket covering his torso. Chrom stared at him, a strange look in his eyes that Robin hadn’t seen from him before. Fear came over his chest. He said nothing in return, waiting for Chrom to continue. 

“What’s wrong, Robin?” Chrom asked, his voice almost begging. “It’s not like you not to tell me what’s on your mind. You’re acting strange, almost cold and...distant.”

“I’m--I’m cold?” Robin asked, hurt in his voice. 

“No. Sorry. It’s just, you’re not being yourself. You sleep at the edge of the bed, you won’t let me touch you, you’re always in our chambers alone.”

“I’m fine. I’m just--”

“No!” Chrom exclaimed. “You’re  _ not _ fine. Don’t lie to me!” He leaned down under the bed and pulled the yellow hardback from the stack of books. He held it in front of Robin’s face, distress and upset brimming in his eyes. “Why do you have this? Is there something you should tell me?”

Chrom’s voice cracked, hurt in his tone. “If you wanted a woman, you could’ve just said so! I would’ve understood. You didn’t have to marry me because I’m the exalt then sneak behind my back! Then,  _ then  _ you hide the fact you fathered a child from me? You don’t have to hide it anymore. Is that why you have all those warmth pads in the bathroom? They’re for her, aren’t they? And that’s why you hang around in bed all morning?!”

Robin stared at his husband, shock in his eyes. He didn’t stop to think what it may look like if all his personal items were found together at the same time. Somehow Chrom had come across his hardback, perhaps he had left it out one morning when he was late to a meeting? Robin tried his damndest to be careful and methodical, but his brain was starting to fog, yet another symptom of carrying a child. He must’ve left a trail in his fuzz. Tears sprouted in his eyes. 

“You don’t understand, Chrom,” Robin mumbled water dripping down his cheeks. 

“I understand perfect--”

“Let me explain my damn self!” Robin shouted at him. Chrom backed down, surprised at the outburst. Robin sighed and try to collect himself. The moment of confession had come, there was no delaying it any longer. He swallowed his fears the best he could. He pulled the warm pad from behind his back. 

“The warmth pads are for me,” he said, tossing the still hot material to Chrom. “And there is no woman. I would never do that to you, but I understand why you came to that conclusion…” 

Chrom held the pad in his hands. “What’s the book for, then?”

“It’s for me…” Robin wiped the tears off his cheeks. “Chrom, I don’t expect you to find me attractive anymore. I’ll only get more hideous as time goes on.” He lifted the blanket off his torso and pulled the hem of his shirt up, exposing his bump. Chrom stared at the swell, confusion on his face. Robin sighed. 

“The wellspring revealed to me my past. I was once in another time, a time where my body was used as a vessel for Grima. In this other world, the people worshipped the Fell Dragon, and Grima wished for an heir to his chaotic empire. Since he is a god, he could manipulate my body to his will. He wanted his vessel to carry a child, and that child would have pure and unadulterated power from developing directly from Fell blood. Apparently I was newly conceived when I was flung to this world and my memories were lost. The spring awakened the Fell blood in me. Grima had froze the child’s development until recently.”

Chrom shook his head, his mouth agape. He grabbed Robin’s hand and examined the brand on it. “That--That would explain why you have this brand, wouldn’t it? This wasn’t branded on you during a Grimleal sacrifice as we’d previously thought.”

“Yes.” Robin paused. “Chrom, you don’t believe all this, do you?”

“Your stomach doesn’t lie. It has the curve of an expecting woman. You’re trying to hide this because you’re humiliated, is that what it is? Why didn’t you tell me right after it happened at the well?”

“I thought it was a hallucination, I really did.”

“You still could’ve told me anyways.”

Robin shook his head. “My body was not made for this. Perhaps in whatever godly form in the future-past, but not now, not as a man! It’s already taking a toll on me. I vomit every morning, my hips and back ache, my head hurts, and I can’t seem to get out of bed to do half of what I usually do. I  _ am _ humiliated, Chrom. How can I walk around the castle looking like a _ freak?! _ ”

Chrom frowned. He brushed Robin’s bangs from his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Robin. I didn’t mean to assume the things I did.”

“What else were you supposed to think? This is bizarre. I’m sorry I hid from you, but...I don’t know how to handle it…”

“Well, I suppose...stick to the book?” Chrom said, his face flushed. “So...there’s a baby?”

“Supposedly.” Robin huffed. “Judging by my symptoms, there’s not much I can deny.”

“W-Wow…” Chrom reached his hand out, brushing over the exposed bump. Robin winced and Chrom pulled his hand back. “Did I hurt you?”

Robin reddened at the contact. He covered the skin again with his shirt, bringing the blankets over him to hide it again. “N-No it doesn’t hurt but...please don’t touch it.”

Chrom frowned again. “We can we expect the child to be born?”

“I don’t know. Grima said the progress can’t be tracked using human months, so I’ve been using the growth of the bump instead. It’s growing quite fast, which I suppose is why my symptoms are so intense. I assume they’ll only get worse as time goes on. Not only is the growth rate irregular, but my body isn’t equipped to deal with a child in any fashion.”

“Right…” Chrom blushed. “How--”

“Grima says when the time comes the ‘conditions for a natural birth will present itself’. Don’t ask me what the hell that means, but I daresay what I  _ think _ it means terrifies me.” 

“Rest as much as you can. I don’t want you pushing yourself if you’re already vulnerable. Whatever you need, I'll get you.”

“Thank you.” Robin nodded. “Chrom, please don’t tell the others about this. Please.”

Chrom nodded. He kissed his husband on the forehead and slipped the warm pad back underneath his back. 


	4. Convoluted Notions

A few months passed. Robin’s midsection had  grown a great deal, and when he compared it to the drawings in his book, it resembled that of a woman six months along. It was extremely noticeable, which caused Robin’s anxiety to skyrocket. He refused anyone’s company but Chrom’s, and made himself a hermit in his own chambers. He would sneak out to the library at night to get books to pass the time, often reading one or two in a day. Sometimes he was in enough pain to confine him to bed and he sent Chrom to fetch entertainment for him. Whispers flowed through the castle at the Prince Consort’s absence. Chrom deflected all of it, and it frustrated many in the castle. Robin was often embarrassed to look at himself in the mirror, and the pain in his back and hips had intensified. The child’s presence was beginning to pinch at nerves in his back, giving way to great pain when he tried to walk. He could cope with it to get from one place to another in his chambers, but he couldn’t handle much more. The low ache was still there, and he always kept the bath warm for heat his heat pads, for once one was cold he immediately changed it out for another. The growth of the child also made his breathing tight at times, and shifting too rough caused him to become winded. 

One morning during early spring, Robin used the pleasant weather to read on the balcony connected to his chambers. He sat in a chair, a pillow at his back. Even moving his books, a glass of water, his warm pad and pillow was exhausting. He winced when he sat, lightning bolts of pain scurrying down his back. The bump was large and hard to carry around everywhere, in addition to the intense humiliation it brought him every time he caught sight of it. He dared not touch it unless he was bathing. He wouldn’t allow  _ anyone _ to touch it, not even Chrom. 

After about an hour, Chrom stepped onto the balcony. He sat in the free chair beside his husband. “How are you feeling?” he asked. 

Robin shook his head. “Terrible as usual.”

Chrom frowned. “I-I’m sorry. Listen, I’ve told Lissa about you.”

Robin closed his book and narrowed his brows. “You did _ what?!” _

“I told Lissa and Lissa only!” Chrom put up his arms in defense. “She’s family, Robin. She deserves to know. It’s no one’s else’s business but ours as a family. She wants to see you. Let her take a look so she can get anything at the clinic that may help.”

“I-I could kill you, Chrom!” Robin shouted, tears on his cheeks. “I asked you not to tell  _ anyone.” _

“I only told her, I promise you.”

“I don’t care. You--You don’t understand how ugly this is! I don’t even feel like a man anymore. I don’t want people seeing me like this, it’s disgusting. All I do is slouch around all day because I have this parasite inside me I didn’t ask for!”

“Robin!” Chrom exclaimed, his tone stern. “It’s a  _ child. _ You look pregnant, that’s all. It’s strange to see a man like this, sure, but a baby bump is a baby bump. Yours looks no different than the ones in that book. The child is innocent in this. Don’t blame the baby, it doesn’t have any more say in this than you do.”

Robin sighed. He shook his head, tears still flowing down his cheeks. “I--I’m sorry. Y-You’re right...it’s not their fault...Gods, I’m terrible. I’m a terrible person...blaming an innocent unborn child!”

Chrom stood, leaning over Robin. He ran his hands down his back and shoulders. “It’s alright. I know you’re frustrated. You’re in a lot of pain, no wonder you lash out. Please, Robin. Let Lissa take a look at you.”

“Alright. Perhaps there's something that can help with all these aches.”

“I'm sure she'll find something.” Chrom paused. “You do understand you're beautiful, right? This doesn't change that. In fact, I think it's amazing to see a child grow like this.”

Robin raised his brow. “This is unnatural, Chrom. Who is to say I won't birth something that doesn't resemble a child at all?”

“That's a bit extreme. Though I do have one question…”

“I've got plenty.  What's yours?”

“Does this child have a father? I mean, you know-”

“I understand. I don't know. It seems probable.”

“Who would it be, then?”

“There's no way to know for sure. But Grima did say even when I was being used as a vessel I kept you at my side.”

“Really? That’s interesting. I suppose we’ll have to wait until it’s born to know.”

 

**~*~**

 

Lissa walked in the room later on in the day. Robin requested that if he was to speak with Lissa, that he do it alone and without Chrom. It was stressful enough being in the situation he was in, and he didn’t want to feel a spectacle with four eyes staring at him intently.  Robin smiled at her weakly, his cheeks flushed as the blankets in bed covered his form. He was embarrassed to the point of fainting, and he hoped they could move passed the awkward moments fast. There was a part of him that thought the awkwardness would never truly fade, and if he was humiliated now, he feared to think of what birth would be like. Him and Chrom had yet to discuss the plan for the step in the process, and that was yet another thing delayed that couldn’t for much longer. 

“Hey, Lissa,” Robin said, his voice dry. “I’m quite strange, aren’t I?”

Lissa walked to the side of the bed and shook her head. “Chrom explained everything to me. I have training in midwifery, I was actually going to be a midwife before I decided to join Chrom as a cleric when he took command of the Shepherds. Let me take a look, I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think.”

Robin went to pulls the sheets back but hesitated. He bit his lip. He was unable to will himself to show himself to another. Lissa pulled the sheets back before he could say anything, taking it a step further and lifting the hem of his shirt. 

“Looks like all the other bumps I’ve seen,” she said. “Mind if I press?”

“U-Uh...sure…” Robin nodded, his cheeks red. He balled his hands into fists as she took a careful palm and pressed along his hardened abdomen. After a moment of watching, his humiliation overtook him and he squeezed his eyes shut in hopes it would help him detach from the situation.  

“Feels normal,” Lissa finally said. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were a lady, Robin! Everything looks fine,” she chuckled. 

“Right…” Robin said, a nervous chuckle coming from his lips. 

She pulled his shirt down. “I can get you some tonics to help you sleep better at night. There’s also an herbal tea to help with the back aches.”

“Thank you, Lissa.”

“I’d like to speak with you about the birth. You don’t have a plan, do you?”

“N-No. Am I supposed to?” Robin furrowed his brows. 

“It’s peace of mind to have one.  I understand you want this quiet, so I won’t call in a midwife from outside if that’s not what you want. I know Grima said ‘natural’ and if that means what I think it does, you’re going to need someone to deliver the baby. I’m sure you don’t want Chrom doing it. So, that leaves me.”

“Huh? I’m s-sure I can manage alone.”

“What? Robin, you’re not having a  _ baby _ alone. I don’t care what the circumstances are. I’ll act as midwife, and Chrom will be there to support you. What do say?”

“Do I have a choice?” Robin sighed. He blushed, another round of humiliation in his chest. “Do you really have to look at my privates?” 

“Well, yes. It’s not that big of a deal, Robin. Not as big of one as you think it is. By that point, you’ll be so ready to get birth over with you won’t care who takes a peek down there.”

“That’s...reassuring.”

Lissa chuckled again. After a moment she put her hand on his shoulder, her eyes more serious. Robin glanced at her, his heart racing at the sight of such a playful girl taking on a serious gaze. 

“Robin, I know this isn’t the way things are supposed to be.  _ I know. _ Men aren’t supposed to bear children. Their bodies aren’t equipped to handle it. That’s likely why you’re experiencing so much pain and discomfort, your body is being strained trying to cope with it.  I also understand this child was conceived in a very dark place and with selfish desires in mind. Yet, both of you are here. You both have a new chance at life. I know this is something that embarrasses you, but it’s nothing be ashamed of. Embrace it. You and this baby are together no matter what. 

“Chrom told me you aren’t very receptive to the child. You act like it’s not there and this swell is an ugly inconvenience. I understand why, Robin. I really do. But, know now is about the time a baby can hear voices from the outside. It’ll hear your voice and learn to recognize it. Perhaps...try to talk to the baby every once in a while, yeah? Or, if that’s hard at first, maybe try rubbing your belly. Something to form a bond between you two before it’s born. That’s really important. You and the baby are stuck in the middle of a convoluted mess neither of you asked for, but you can make the best of it. Sometimes good things are born from dark times. Just remember that, okay?”

Robin stared at his abdomen, tears in his eyes. He had yet to stop and think about the child. He was always preoccupied with himself, his disdain and discomfort. He didn’t blame the child, per say, but he had spent the better part of the months resenting its presence. He felt terrible guilt in his core once he fully processed Lissa’s words. It wasn’t as if the child had a voice in it all, just as he didn’t. It didn’t deserve to be neglected by him, for him to curse it and call it cruel names in his frustration. It didn’t deserve to hear the light arguments Robin and Chrom often got into, where in Robin’s haze he tried to convince Chrom they shouldn’t prepare a nursery or pick names because it was just  _ a thing. _ Robin felt guilt every time he said this, Chrom biting back frustration. 

Deep down, in his heart of hearts, Robin didn’t see his child as simply _ a thing. _ He saw it as his baby. Beyond that, he saw them as a son or daughter, and a child of two loving parents. The circumstances surrounding him had kept him from admitting it.  He had deep love for the child, but he had continuously bit it back in favor of resentment. He didn’t want to bear a child. What man did? But he was and that wasn’t going to change. Yet, he _wanted_ the child. He wanted it more than anything. It was a convoluted notion, and Robin didn’t claim to understand his emotions, but they were there and feasting on his thoughts.  If he could go through this, perhaps he was more than a human man after all…

“Robin, did you get that?” Lissa asked, her brows furrowed. 

“Yes, Lissa,” Robin said to her, wiping his eyes. “Thank you. I’m going to work on our bond. I promise.”


	5. A Growing Bond

Robin had promised Lissa to work on his bond with the unborn child nestled within him. He never liked to break promises, and he hadn’t yet, but he was close to. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t bring him to speak out into the quiet of his chambers. He was alone, yet with Lissa’s words, knew he truly wasn’t. There was another listening ear, even if that ear couldn’t quite comprehend what was being said. Robin swallowed down frustration. He tried her next suggestion of rubbing his belly, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that either. Every time his hand got close to his swell, it spasmed away as if revolted by Robin trying to put it there. 

An hour passed of Robin trying to bond with his baby. He failed at every turn. He tried to pick up a book and read it aloud, but he always stopped himself short of the first syllable of the first sentence. He tried to simply  _ poke _ his belly with the tip of his index finger, but when he pushed himself to, his knuckles would fold in on themselves to shy away. Resentment crept up in his mind. Why was this so damn hard? If he were to carry a child, why couldn’t  he be like any other child-bearer out there? That’s when he would remember: He  _ wasn’t _ like them, because it was a malevolent god that had a hand in his child’s conception. When he thought this, it sent him down the rabbit hole of humiliation, resentment, anger and sorrow.  

Every time he would come down from a high of resentment, guilt would plague him. He didn’t want to feel this way, he truly didn't. He wanted to coo at his baby and rub his swollen midsection without a second thought. Yet, the natural inclination just wouldn’t come to him. He imagined a crown of guilt was nailed to his head. No matter what he did throughout the day, he experienced some level of guilt for it. If he ate a cookie, he hated that he fed his baby sweets that weren’t the most optimal thing for its growth. Yet, even with the guilt, sometimes he would eat five more in spite of it. He couldn’t help it and he hated himself for it. 

Robin slammed the book down on the nightstand. He buried his head in his hands, a sob coming from his lips. He felt like total failure, not only as a parent, but as a human being. He couldn’t complete one simple task.  _ Not one.  _ How hard could it be to rub his own stomach? It was easy, yet he couldn’t do it. He cried, his heartache echoing off the walls. 

Chrom walked into the chambers. When he noticed Robin’s upset, he rushed to his taking a seat beside him on the bed. He wrapped his arm around his husband’s shoulder and rubbed into the skin there. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, concern in his voice. 

“I--I...I’m trying to bond with the baby…” Robin said through sobs. “I promised Lissa.  _ I’m trying. _ I’m trying so hard! And...And I can’t do it! What kind of monster can’t bond with the child in their womb?!”

“Robin, Robin, shhh….” Chrom soothed. “It’s alright. You’re not a monster, my love. No one said these things were going to be easy or it was going to be second nature to you. We all start somewhere with each new thing we try. What did she suggest?”

Robin wiped his eyes as his sobs quietly faded. “Either try talking to the baby or rubbing my belly. I’ve tried both but failed every time…”

“Okay.” Chrom nodded. He pulled Robin’s shirt up so it exposed his swollen midsection, then took off his gloves and placed them on the nightstand. “Let’s try it together, then. Watch me first.”

Chrom placed his open hand on the top of Robin’s stomach. He pushed his hand down to the bottom, then back up again, each a gentle rub. He moved his hand in circles, his wedding band cold against Robin’s skin. Chrom smiled and continued to rub his hand across the bump. 

“Hi, baby,” he said in a light voice. “Daddy loves you and can’t wait to meet you.”

Robin frowned, tears of frustration in his eyes. He had been trying to bond with the baby nearly all morning, yet Chrom walked in and accomplished in thirty seconds what he had yet to be able to. Another wave of guilt flowed into his mind. Why was it easier for Chrom to bond with the baby when Robin was the one carrying it? Robin hated he didn’t have an answer. 

“Ready to try, Robin?” Chrom asked. He grabbed Robin’s hand. “Here, we’ll do it together.”

Chrom pushed Robin’s hand down onto his midsection. He guided it across the skin in soft movements, Robin’s heart pounding in his throat at each swipe of his palm. Robin was sweating, the contact making him nervous. Chrom merely smiled, their overlapped hands brushing across the swell of the growing child. 

“Say something, Robin,” Chrom said. “The baby’s probably listening.”

“O-Oh…” Robin flushed. He closed his eyes. “U-Uh...U-Um... _ P-Papa’s here. _ ”

Chrom chuckled with glee. “He sure is. Daddy’s here too, but he has to go.” He removed his hand and stood, kissing Robin on the lips and putting his gloves back on. “I’ve got a council meeting. I’ll be back later.” He leaned down to Robin’s belly and placed a soft kiss on top before walking away from the bedside. 

Robin stopped rubbing when Chrom left the room. However, he didn’t remove his hand or pull his shirt down. His palm stayed right where his husband left it. After a while, he lulled and feel asleep, hoping the warmth of his hand was enough for his child to notice. 

 

**~*~**

 

Another month passed. Lissa often kept Robin company during the day, where they drank tea and chatted about myriad of things. He was on bedrest now, his progress up to the point where neither Lissa nor Robin could exactly figure out when the baby would be born. The pain and discomfort had skyrocketed yet again, and he hardly shifted in bed. Chrom used to chuckle at how much Robin tossed and turned during the night right after their married, but now that was a distant habit. The swell was heavy and uncomfortable. Robin compared his to the drawings in the book, but somehow his seemed larger, yet he couldn’t tell for sure. The days were now filled with pensive thoughts in between bouts of sleeping and eating light meals. 

Robin had been able to bond more with his child over the weeks, and it brought him comfort when he was alone. He had never really gathered the will to speak out loud, but he had made a habit of rubbing is stomach when he lonely and wanted to remind himself of the little one in his company. Resentment and guilt were still a daily struggle in his mind, two vampires that feasted on his thoughts and drained him of his energy further. 

Though Robin wouldn’t admit it, he was thankful Chrom had taken the initiative to tell Lissa the truth. He had become comfortable with her positivity and joy, and her presence was one that made him comfortable.  He was still a little embarrassed to appear in his condition to her, but he was mostly alright with it. The others in the castle, on the other hand, were barred from knowing anything about what he was going through. All he wanted was his family around him, which was the small unit of him, his husband, and his sister-in-law. 

They were lightly chatting, Lissa in a chair at his bedside. Robin’s arm rested on his stomach, there was no other place to rest it on at this point, a small smile on his lips. Suddenly, his abdomen and back cramped as if they were a being balled up like a soiled piece of paper. Robin couldn’t help but groan at the intrusion, his hand going to rub his hip. Lissa stood, her hand on his shoulder. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked. 

“I had a cramp. It wasn’t very painful, just an uncomfortable feeling.” Robin leaned back on the headboard.

Lissa nodded. She pulled the blanket back and lifted his shirt. She pressed around on the hardened skin. “I think you’re starting to have practice contractions.”

“Oh no…”

“It’s fine. That’s a good thing. It doesn’t mean you’re going to have the baby  _ tonight _ or anything, but it’s a sign your body is preparing for the birth.”

Robin sighed and pulled the hem of shirt back down. He licked his lip. It wasn’t as if he was going to stay in this state forever, there was a sure light at the end of tunnel. However, though he hadn’t voiced these thoughts to anyone, birth terrified him. His body had been strained for months, to the point where in the last few weeks Lissa had to give him a small dose of strength tonic daily to help him get out of bed and move around. His energy stores were low and no matter how much he slept and rested, they were not gaining traction. He wondered if he couldn’t even cope with birth pains, as he once again realized  _ his body was not made for this. _ It wouldn’t matter how much encouragement and support he got, if his body wasn’t equipped, it wasn’t equipped. These sorts of thoughts only brought back on the resentment in his mind, though he tried his best to fend it off by bonding with his child. 

“I see…” Robin swallowed. “Lissa, I want to say something to you.”

“What is it?” Lissa asked, curiosity in her eyes. 

“I know Grima can manipulate my body to accommodate a natural birth. Yet, what if that doesn’t happen like we think it will? If for some reason, whether that be I don’t have the strength to give birth properly or there’s no physically possible way for me to do it just…” He paused and swallowed again. “Cut me open and deliver the child that way.”

Lissa’s eyes widened. There was a flash of horror on her face that faded to shock. “R-Robin...I’m sure...we won’t need to do that.”

“But if you do, right here, right now, I’m giving you my consent to do it. I don’t care if I’m awake and screaming or passed out, just do it. The child deserves a chance. It’s the least I can do after the way I’ve acted over the past few months. I’m better now, but, I was so, so cruel at the start of this. I feel terrible that I harbored such scorn….I’d really do anything for my baby, no matter what I might say when I’m in a frustrated haze of pain.”

“But, Robin that could…”

“So be it. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.” Robin closed his eyes, deciding to change the subject. “Gods, Chrom is going to be a handful.”

Lissa chuckled. “I just hope he doesn’t faint.”

“If it looks like he is, just cover my bottom half with a blanket. If that hinders you, we might just have to let him hit the floor.”

Lissa giggled. “Whatever you’re comfortable with, Robin.”

 

**~*~**

 

Robin sat in the tub later on that night, the warmth easing his aching bones. He still cramped every once in while, but it was one of the mangable symptoms of his condition. He dozed, the aroma of the suds soothing him. After a while, he got the peculiar feeling of someone standing over him. He opened his eyes and nearly gasped at Grima standing over the tub. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Robin said, sitting up in the tub. He was glad the suds covered his body, but then again, they were the still person technically, so he supposed it didn’t matter. He was more so agitated by the intrusion. 

“The child will be here in a matter of a few days. You’ll start laboring soon,” Grima said, his voice guttural. 

“Fine. I suspected as much.”

“Grima has blessed you with the means of a natural birth. He doesn’t want your vessel being damaged by a forceful removal of the heir. If you look, you’ll see it.”

Robin swallowed. Acid rose to his throat, a disgusted feeling in his stomach. He shook it away. “Yet again, _fine._ What purpose are you here for?”

“I’m going to assist in the delivery of the child.”

“Oh, no,” Robin scoffed. “I don’t need your help.”

“Like those Ylissean whelps know how to deliver the child of a god,” Grima spit. 

“This conversation is a mirage.  _ You  _ are a mirage. Like you can do any better.”

Grima hesitated. He bit his lip, one of his only visible facial features. “It seems I am bound to remain a mirage until you give me the power to materialize. I lost my physicality when I was transported from my timeline to this one. I’ve been trying to materialize myself for months to no avail.”

“Is that supposed to make me change my mind?” 

“It would be in your best interest. Then, after the birth we move you and the child to the Dragon’s Table--”

“Let me stop you there. No.” Robin shrugged. “I’m sorry you were subjected to Grima. You were just like me, weren’t you? Before you were corrupted…”

“I am  _ not _ corrupted!” Grima snarled. 

“You call yourself Grima, yet, you have no power. You are merely a  _ facet _ of Grima, a cog in the larger machine. Just like me.”

Grima stayed silent. Robin sighed, another cramp hitting his lower back. 

“A question for you: Who is this child’s father? There had to have been someone else involved other than me,” he asked. 

“Like it matters. I don’t have to tell you a damn thing.”

“You want to play that game? Fine. I guess it doesn’t matter. I’m hopeful it’s Chrom, though. That would be wonderful.”

Grima clenched his fists. “That Ylissean dog has no place in the matters of our god.”

“Maybe not. But his matters are mine and mine are his. We’re in a loving marriage. Not that you know anything of love.”

“Love fades when those who claim to harbor it for you stab you in the back.”

“Maybe you have a point there.” Robin nodded. “Now, won’t you buzz off so I can have my baby in peace? Or do I have to find some way to force you the hell out?”

“You can force me out if you try hard enough.” Grima smirked. “But, what do you mean  _ your baby?  _ Don’t you mean you’re about expel the parasite that’s been leeching off you for months?”

Robin’s breath hitched. His guilt plagued him in an intense way in seconds. He was suddenly sick to his stomach remembering all the cruel things he had said in his early resentment. The way he had acted, the hurt in Chrom’s eyes, and the serious gaze of Lissa pleas, humiliated him. He had come far in bonding with his child, yet, he couldn’t just forget all the things he had done before. He had never abused his body, the worst he had ever done was eat a few extra sweets in his frustration. The crown of guilt he thought might get removed upon the birth of his child was now permanently affixed to his head. Grima was rubbing it his face as retribution for not getting his way. 

“ _ Fuck off, _ you incessant little craven!” Robin shouted, reaching to the figure to push him away. As he made continued with his torso, the mirage faded. Robin didn’t have time to wonder what exactly had transpired that caused him to disappear, for a bout of pain hit his back and abdomen. He leaned over the tub and clutched the rim for support. 

“Chrom?!” he shouted, his voice hoarse. 

Chrom rushed into the bath. He kneeled beside the tub, his hands running through Robin’s hair. “What’s wrong?”

“Can you get Lissa?”

“Oh Gods!”

“I’m fine. Just get her. And, please don’t act like an headless horse during this whole ordeal, yeah?”

Chrom nodded, rushing out of the bath. Robin heard the door to his chambers open, then click shut. He leaned back in the tub again. Whatever was about to happen with the next day or two he wasn’t ready for, but he was prepared to endure for as long as he could manage. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is planned to be a *shorter* fic than my usual fics, as this concept was experimental on my part. I have a bad habit of writing very, very long works when I want to write shorter ones, and I'm pushing myself to at least wrap this up in a *somewhat* short way. I've been trying to write short stories for years and they always end up novel-length. I have actually written an original novel that is unpublished, I have plans for a few others, so I think that is how I developed this habit. Writing shorter stories is so hard! I'm a very detailed person, so I like to describe things very thoroughly. Writing this piece has made me feel like I'm not being detailed enough and its lacking in content, but I think that's just my novel-writing brain not understanding the purpose of shorter fic. Lol!
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos! I really appreciate it!! :)


	6. Strain

Robin squeezed Chrom’s hand as he exhaled. His squeezes weren’t very tight or rough, as he was exhausted already. He had been laboring for at least five hours, starting right around midnight. It was now dawn, the early morning sunlight coming through the room. Lissa blew out the candles from the night, giving the room the scent of light smoke. Robin was on his knees, his arms leaned against the edge of the bed, Chrom behind him. He had found this was the most comfortable position for the time being, though that was subject to change at a moment’s notice. He had spent an hour in the tub, an hour on his knees in the bed, gripping the bedpost for support, and a half hour outside on the balcony. His body was wearing down fast, his fears at the forefront of his mind. His body was not equipped to handle this much strain, and it was to the point of becoming an agonizing concern. Before the discomforts and pains were difficult, but he could manage. Now he wasn’t so sure. Birth was excruciating for women whose bodies  _ were _ designed and prepared for the pain. What did that mean for a body that was forced into it?

Another forceful bout of pain hit his body. He squeezed his husband’s hand and groaned. Lissa walked over to them from the other side of the room, a cup in one hand. She rubbed his shoulder and leaned down. 

“Breathe, Robin, just like that,” she said, her voice gentle. “I want to give you a strength tonic every hour now, so take this when you’re ready.”

“That stuff tastes disgusting,” Chrom mumbled, seemingly thinking aloud. 

“I don’t care.” Robin took the cup and gushed it down. “I can feel when it’s wearing off, because my ability to cope with the pain goes down tenfold.”

Lissa nodded. She continued to rub his upper-back. “In about twenty minutes I’d like to check you again.”

“You want to me embarrass me again?” Robin chuckled. “I only jest. You’ll probably be done with hovering over me once this is through.”

“Can I look?” Chrom asked. 

Robin furrowed his brows. “There’s nothing to look at?”

“No, I mean, when the baby’s being born...I wanna watch…”

“Why are you asking me this?!” Robin exclaimed, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was as if the whole ordeal hadn’t been embarrassing enough, now he had his husband asking things aloud he never thought he would in a million years. 

“Because if I look and you don’t want me to you’ll kill me?”

“That’s true!” Lissa chuckled from the other side of the room. “Say, you’re smarter than I thought, Chrom!”

Robin laughed. “I don’t care, Chrom. But, if you  _ faint _ , I’ll kill you.”

 

**~*~**

 

The hours passed and it was now night again. Robin was drenched in sweat, Chrom wiping his skin with a damp, cold cloth to help him keep cool. He was leaned against the headboard, his pains closer and closer together. Lissa gave him another dose of strength tonic, but Robin halted when he noticed it was a larger cup  than he usually had. He glanced at her, too nervous to ask what he wanted to. 

“This will take about ten minutes to settle in your system,” Lissa said. “That’ll give me enough time to gather my supplies--”

Chrom didn’t let her finish. “For what?” he asked. 

Robin rolled in his eyes. Chrom had been a sweet and supportive husband; rubbing his back, helping keep him cool, helping him shift from place to place. However, there were times where his oblivious tendencies came through, and it was agitating. The more intense the pain got, the more annoyed Robin was susceptible to being. 

“For the  _ birth. _ What else?!” Robin said, a hint of irritation in his tone. He glanced to Lissa, his demeanor shifting to nervousness. “Right?”

Lissa nodded. Robin drank down the tonic, and for the first time, found it difficult. Now was the real test of his body’s endurance, and, truly, he was not confident in it. He was exhausted to the bone. He couldn’t figure out what was normal for a birth and what was intensified due to his situation and body. He felt sick when he also realized he would come to face the child he had been carrying for many months. The child he had at first scorned and resented. He swallowed his guilt when another wave of pain hit him. He shifted and exhaled, his breath sharp. 

The next thing Robin knew he was nestled between Chrom and Lissa near the foot of the bed. Chrom sat behind him so Robin’s back could use his torso for support. He held onto his knees and Robin was slightly annoyed he couldn’t hold his hand anymore, so settled for forearms instead. Lissa took her spot at the foot of the bed and next process began. 

Robin expected it to be difficult, but the actual difficulty was more excruciating than he could’ve imagined. When Lissa said to hold a push for ten seconds he could only do it for three at first. He managed to work his way up to five, then to seven. Finally, he did as she originally asked, but he couldn’t stay consistent. Only about one in every five attempts was to her requests. Robin apologized over and over again in between ragged breaths until Lissa told him to stop worrying and focus on doing his best. Robin chastised himself in his haze; his best didn’t seem good enough. And his best was terribly agonizing as it was. 

Five hours passed with no change. Lissa let him take breaks long enough for her to get another cup of strength tonic when one wore off, and Robin thought of what good it was doing. Then, he wondered if what little he could do was because of the liquid, and hated to realize that he didn’t have it he wouldn’t be able to do anything at all. Though, he couldn’t decide if doing nothing and doing what he was doing were one in the same or not. The thought only added to his agony. 

Another hour passed. Robin was exhausted and felt like he was being tormented, his sanity nearly gone. Sweat coated every inch of his body and made him feel icky, though that was the least of his discomforts. The pain was still consistent, and Robin debated whether or not it was getting worse or his tolerance was wearing thin. Chrom had stayed in the same position the entire time, and Robin wondered if he was starting to get exhausted. If he was, he didn’t say a word of it. 

Robin was in haze. He had a few different thoughts circling his mind like dogs on prey, and he couldn’t figure out which thought was going to pounce first. His decision-making was jumbled, but there was one thing that was clear in his mind. When the pain that had briefly simmered down came back in full force, his decision was clear to him. 

“Robin? Robin,” Lissa said, trying to get his attention. 

Robin made-contact with her, licking his dry lip.  He waited for her to say something to him. 

Lissa sighed, empathy in her eyes. “I know you’re tired, but you need to keep trying. It doesn’t have to be ten seconds, just anything you can do.”

Robin shook his head. Chrom let out his own exhausted, worried sigh. 

“Please, Robin,” he said, his voice soft. “Don’t give up.”

“Lissa,” Robin said, his voice strained. “We both know this isn’t a typical birth. We’ve known it from the start. My body was  _ never _ going to be ready for this. Things were never supposed to be this way…” He paused. “I’ve done what I can. I’m sorry it wasn’t good enough. Get the knife and cut me open. I don’t care what happens to me, just make sure the child’s safe.”

Lissa shook her head, distress in her eyes. She shifted on her stool, the wood creaking in the silence of the room. Chrom squeezed Robin’s knee. 

“No, Robin, are you insane?!” he exclaimed. “You just need to keep pushing.”

“I’ve been doing that for six hours!” Robin snapped. “Nothing’s happening, Chrom. You have to face the music at some point. This is what I deserve for acting like a monster and cursing and resenting my own baby. I deserve the agony. The child deserves life more than I do.”

“Robin, enough of this. Push.”

“I know  _ damn well _ you’re not telling me what to do right now.”

“It’s the pain talking! Lissa, tell him it’s the pain talking.”

Lissa sighed. There was hurt in her eyes, but she blinked it away. She adjusted on her stool again. “Just one more hour, Robin. If you haven’t made any progress by then, I’ll do it.”

Robin nodded despite Chrom’s protests. He kept going. He put his all into it, but it didn’t seem like enough. After forty-five minutes, he was at his wit’s end. He didn’t care what happened, he just wanted out of the situation he was in. There was resentment in his mind again, he cursed Grima for tormenting him so. He remembered Grima saying he could repair his body, but Robin had a hard time believing it given the moment. Grima was selfish, it was a sin of a malevolent god, with no regard for anyone or anything else. Robin hoped vengeance would come for it, whether it would be him exercising it or someone doing it in his name. 

“Lissa, Lissa,  _ please _ ,” Robin begged. His breaths were rough as he wiped his forehead. “It’s not working. I’m sorry.”

“No, Robin,” Lissa said, shaking her head. “Push as hard as you can.”

“Lissa--”

“Oh Gods!” Chrom exclaimed. “Is that my baby?!”

“Chrom, will you shut the hell--wait, what?” Robin opened his eyes to see Lissa nodding. 

“Yes! I can see the baby. Robin, you’re almost there. Keep going,” Lissa said. 

Robin groaned. He did as she asked, intense pain hitting him. He thought he might faint, but for whatever reason, he never did. Lissa urged him to pant through the pain and he did, but he still managed to make light exclamations at the agony he was feeling. After an amount of time he couldn’t discern, a weight was placed on his chest. He opened his eyes and saw Chrom’s hands holding a newborn to his torso as wailing echoed the room. 

Robin stared at the screaming child. “Hi, sweetheart,” he breathed. 

“It’s a girl, Robin,” Chrom said, his voice shaking. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

Robin nodded, his head in the crook of Chrom’s neck. He was in a haze as he studied the newborn’s movements at his chest. Soon enough, the girl quieted down and opened her eyes, revealing two brands, one in each eye. One was the brand the of exalt, the other the brand of Grima. Robin didn’t know whether to smile or frown at the sight. 

“She’s got the brand.” Chrom smiled, a sole tear on his cheek. “She’s _ours_.”

Robin nodded with a weak smile. He groaned. “Lissa? I’m still in a lot of pain. Am I supposed to be?”

Lissa walked away from the table where she was tinkering with her supplies. She frowned. “No. You may still have some slight pain, but it should’ve mostly abated.”

“It’s still fairly intense.”

She sat on her stool. Her eyes widened. “Robin, you’re really not going to like this, but…”

“But?”

“Can I ask you to push again?”

Robin furrowed his brows. “W-Why?”

“Oh. _ Oh, _ ” Chrom said. “Gods, there’s another one.”

“Another--” Robin winced at a wave of pain. “I hate you, Chrom.”

“What? What did I do?”

“Are these your children?! You obviously did _something_.”

“I don’t know what I did. Sorry!”

Soon enough, another newborn was on Robin’s chest. The pain finally abated for the most part, signalling that there shouldn’t be any more surprises. Robin was exhausted, and to be honest with himself, surprised he got through it all intact. He let Chrom look after his children as he slipped into a deep rest that he couldn’t fight off. 

 

**~*~**

 

When Robin woke, his body was sore in a variety of places. He groaned, opening his eyes to the bright early afternoon sunlight. Chrom was dozing in a chair at the bedside, a bassinet beside him..  Robin pushed on his shoulder. He startled and turned his head. 

“Robin?” he said, his voice groggy. 

“How long have I been asleep?” Robin asked. 

“About two days.”

“Two days?!” he exclaimed. “How are my babies?”

“They’re fine.” He leaned over to peer into the bassinet. “They love cuddling with Daddy, don’t they?” he cooed. 

Robin felt jealousy sprout in his chest. He huffed,  impatience and anxiousness flowing strong in his veins. “Gods, can I see them?”

“Of course.”

“Chrom, wait!” Robin stopped him before he could move. His face flushed, the guilt starting to rise in his throat. “This--This is terrible, but I can’t remember their names or their sexes.”

“It’s fine, my love. You kind of...passed out.” Chrom shrugged. He reached into the bassinet and pulled a newborn from it. He nestled the child in one of Robin’s arms. “This is our daughter, Lucina.” He reached in for the second child and placed it in Robin’s free arm. “And this is our other daughter, Morgan.”

Robin smiled. “Two daughters…”

“They’re beautiful.”

“Lucina was born first, wasn’t she? Gods, my memory is so fogged…”

“Yes. We can tell them apart by where their brands are. Lucina’s are in her eyes. Morgan has the brand of the exalt on her right arm and the other ontop her left hand.” Chrom sat on the bed. “Do you remember anything at all?”

“Well, I remember both of them being born, but the rest is a haze,” Robin sighed. “I don’t remember being told they were girls. I remember the pain and you telling me to push repeatedly because you wanted ‘to see your baby’. If I wasn’t trying so damn hard to give birth I probably would’ve killed you.”

Chrom flushed. “Ha, ha...Sorry?”

“Apology accepted I suppose.” Robin closed his eyes. “Chrom, can you take them? I’m exhausted, I fear my grip on them isn’t very strong.”

Chrom nodded and took the children from his arms and placed them back in the bassinet. Robin glanced to his stomach. Being alone with himself again made him feel strangely empty. He looked to the bassinet at his bedside, where he could see both of his girls sleeping peacefully. He wasn’t expecting a child at all at the beginning of this, let alone twins. He wondered why Grima refused to tell him there were two children. Perhaps it was to surprise him, then try to take advantage of him in his added agony? He couldn’t know for certain. Robin sniffled. He remembered all the resentment and cruel words he said, the word  _ parasite _ echoing in his mind as he stared at his newborns. He broke out into a sob, causing Chrom to startle and look over at him. 

“I’m sorry, Chrom…” Robin mumbled. “I’m so sorry…”

“Sorry? What for?”

“I said so many means things about my children...I’m a terrible parent already! I feel so guilty. I--I didn’t mean those things! I didn’t! I don’t deserve such beautiful babies!”

Chrom frowned. He wrapped his arm around Robin’s shoulder. “You’re not a terrible parent. This isn’t the most typical way to parenthood. You didn’t have a choice in what was being done to you, and that’s where your frustration came from.” He paused. “Robin, that almost  _ killed  _ you. Your body barely held it together. Do you even realize it took you almost three hours to give birth to Morgan? Then, right after she was born, you passed out. Lissa and I didn’t know what to do. She healed you nonstop for twenty-four hours because you lost so much blood.”

Robin stared at him. “That’s why I don’t remember much…”

“Perhaps. Your body wasn’t made to handle that. You were manipulated into it. And, worse yet, Grima wanted to use innocents as a way to grow his chaotic empire. I’m sure it’s no coincidence they’re my children as well. He wanted to mix Fell and Exalted blood to gain more power. He wanted to take advantage of our love for each other.”

“If things had gone right in that other world...I wouldn’t have gone through this.” Robin paused, shaking his head. “But...I love them, Chrom. It hurts my brain to think if we’d gotten our way…”

“They wouldn’t have been born?” Chrom sighed. “It’s a strange sentiment, but you’ll get nowhere thinking that way, Robin. They’re here with us now. That’s all we need to know, all we need to focus on.”

“I suppose you’re right…” Robin swallowed. “I need to protect them from Grima.”

“We will. But, for now, you need to rest. You can’t walk on your own. Whenever you’re ready to take a bath I’ll carry you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have one more chapter planned for this story. This is probably the strangest fic I've ever written, but it's been enjoyable to write so far, and I don't find the strangeness as negative thing, just a different fiction genre to try a hand at. It's always beneficial to experiment as a writer, and I found this as a way to try something new and challenge my writing skills. 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos! :) I appreciate it, as I wasn't sure about how well I could write this story idea.


	7. Two Brands

Robin sat at the council meeting table. It had been two weeks since his daughters were born. His body was that of a normal man again, but the remnants of what he had gone through was evident. His midsection was still healing and a bit swollen, stretch marks there he thought may very well be permanent. He had frequent low backaches and hip pain, which Lissa had warned him may also be permanent side-effects from the strain his body went through during birth. He was exhausted no matter how long he slept. Lissa put him on bedrest, even staying with him during the day to help take care of the newborns and look after him. 

When Frederick insisted that Chrom and Robin attend a meeting together, Chrom was not amused. Even after explaining the strange situation, and getting Frederick’s shocked and peculiar stare, Frederick still insisted. Chrom argued with him before Robin ended it by saying he would attend. It wasn’t like Frederick to insist when one of the royal family members was in feeble health, so he deemed it must be important. Chrom insisted that Robin not walk the distance from their chambers to the meeting room, and instead, used a wheelchair to take him there. Robin closed his eyes so if there were stares he wouldn’t have to see them. Chrom rolled the chair to the end of the table, a sharp pain hitting Robin’s hip when he accidentally bumped a wheel into one of the legs of the table and jolted him. He winced and Chrom apologized with so much remorse that Robin felt sorry for him and kissed him so he’d forgive himself. 

“Here, my love,” Chrom said behind him. “Here’s a warmth pad for your back.”

Robin sighed in relief as the pad slipped in between the chair and his back. “Thank you, dear.”

Frederick walked into the room. He bowed to his leaders, his poise strict and professional. “Milords, I have brought you in for a meeting because of two suspicious figures found in the streets of Ylisstol. They were identified by a castle guard in an inn outside the castle grounds. He brought them back here because he recognized the brand of the exalt present on both of them, which he considered a merit of import.”

Chrom furrowed his brows. “The brand of the exalt? Are you certain?”

“Yes, milord. I checked them both myself.” Frederick nodded. “Shall I bring them in so they may explain themselves to you?”

“Yes, of course.”

Frederick left and brought in two young girls. They sat in chairs opposite of Robin and Chrom, Frederick standing at position in front of the door. Robin furrowed his brows at them when they stared him down with wide eyes. He squirmed, and he wondered if they were judging him for being in a wheelchair. His skin heated, the sudden urge to retreat back to his chambers in his mind. 

“Hello,” Chrom greeted them. He swallowed as if unsure of how to continue. “I hope my guards didn’t make you too uncomfortable. It seems there was a reason they wanted us to speak with you. This isn’t an arrest for contempt by any means.”

“We understand,” one of the girls said. She nodded, patting her bangs. 

Robin bit his lip. Someone was going to have to spit out the question, so he thought it may as well be him. “We’ve been told you both possess the brand of the exalt. This is a trait only royal family members of Ylisse have. We’re curious as to why you have it, and who your family may be.”

“Perhaps this may seem outrageous, but we are both from the future.” The girl pushed her hair back and Robin saw the brand of the exalt in her eye. His palms became clammy at the sight. She continued, “I am Lucina and this is my twin sister, Morgan.”

Chrom stared at them, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. “Y-You’re….”

“Your daughters, yes,” Lucina nodded. “To us, Chrom is  _ Father _ and Robin is  _ Papa. _ ”

“You’re here from a timeline of chaos, aren’t you?” Robin said. “A timeline where Grima reigns supreme?”

“Yes.” Lucina furrowed her brows. “How did you--”

“I also came from one such time. But, perhaps, we are not from the same parallel timeline.” Robin sighed. “I lost my memories from my past life. I only recently learned of my life from another future past.”

“That happened to me as well!” Morgan said, her gaze curious. “I couldn’t remember anything about myself...Lucina found me and recognized me as her sister, showing me our matching brands. We’ve been together ever since.”

“It’s nice to know my daughters look out for each other.” Robin smiled, his joy clear on his features. “I’m happy to meet you both. This is so exciting! I want to get to know you. Everything about you. And I do mean everything! Right, Chrom?”

“Right!” Chrom nodded. He smiled alongside his husband. “How about we start right now? What’s your favorite animal?!”

Morgan chuckled. Lucina stared at them with a stern and confused look. Robin shook his head, his smile still on his lips. 

“That’s a bit of a random place to start,” he chuckled. His gaze turned more serious. “Is there anything we can do for you? We’re going to spoil you, of course, but is there anything on your mind right now we can answer?”

Morgan shrugged. Lucina stared at the table, her nails scratching at the surface. She bit her lip, her eyes pensive. 

“Well, I don’t know if we’re born yet in this timeline…” Lucina said. 

“ _ Oh yes, _ you both are,” Robin said, becoming conscious of all the discomforts of his body. He adjusted his back. “Just born two weeks ago today, actually.”

“Wow. We must be so tiny!” Morgan exclaimed with a smile. 

“Very small and precious. It makes all the pain worth it.” Robin nodded. He absentmindedly cupped his slightly swollen abdomen. He still had a habit of doing so, though his children were already born. 

“How? What pain?” Lucina asked, her brows furrowed. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand why we were born. We are from a surrogate, right? Why did you and Father use a Grimleal woman? We both have brand of Grima as well. Did you not know she was a zealot of Grima before selecting her to have your children?”

Robin frowned. He glanced over to Chrom and saw his lost, dazed expression. They had never explained to their children how they came to be, whatever the reason may be. His heart sped at the word  _ zealot _ and  _ Grima _ in the same sentence, and was nervous to tell them the truth. How would they feel when they were told Grima was responsible for their existence? Robin squeezed the arms of his wheelchair.

“U-Um...Well…” Chrom said, his face flushed. “You see…”

“We did not use a Grimleal surrogate,” Robin interjected. “Morgan, Lucina, do you understand what I am? Truly?”

They shook their heads. Robin sighed and continued. 

“I was bred by Grimleal to be the vessel Grima would use to rule over humans. I also have a brand of Grima, and this is why you have it. In the timeline I’m from, I was being used by Grima, possessed by him to do his bidding. I was flung to this time for whatever reason, and I returned to be a normal man. I started my life here and only recently discovered this truth.”

“What?” Lucina said. “But if you have that brand...why do we have it too?”

“You inherited it from me--” 

Lucina cut him off. “That doesn’t make any sense. We have the brand of the exalt...so Father was the one who used the surrogate.”

“Lucina, there was no surrogate,” Chrom said. 

“I gave birth to both of you,” Robin finally said. He exhaled, a weight taken off his shoulders. “Grima manipulated my body to accommodate having a child. He wanted an heir to his empire, an heir developed by pure fell blood, so he used me, his vessel, to do it. He wanted Chrom as the father to mix exalted blood with fell blood, thus increasing the power of the family line. This is why you both have two brands. I was already carrying you when I was flung back to this time. My body was weak at first, so Grima froze your development until my body could successfully bear a child. We were only expecting one baby, but after Lucina was born...Well, Morgan was a surprise.”  

Morgan giggled. “I’m always keeping you on your toes, Papa!”

Lucina frowned. “Morgan, this is no time for jesting.”

“It is what it is, Lucina. We couldn’t help being born.” Morgan shrugged. “Is that why you’re in a wheelchair, Papa? You’re still tired from us being born?”

“Yes, terribly exhausted.” Robin nodded. “I’m still recovering. There is permanent damage to my body from having twins. My physicality was never made to handle that much strain. My stomach is still swollen from how recent you two were born.”

Lucina flushed. “I’m sorry I assumed things. I had no clue, we were never told that. But...we were young when you both went off to the war.”

“I will protect you both of you from Grima. I promise, promise,  _ promise _ ,” Robin insisted, emotion in his voice. “I love you. I can’t believe I’m seeing my little babies grown up…” He sniffled, tears in his eyes. “Will you come give Papa a hug?”

Morgan walked to the other side of the table and Lucina followed. He hugged both of them, kissing them of the cheek. Chrom walked to them and ensnared them in tight embraces as doting kisses on the forehead. 

Robin studied his daughters. They both had Chrom’s hair color. Lucina had unique eyes, as her brands were nestled in them, while Morgan inherited his hazel gaze. When he looked them up and down, there were traits from both of their parents evident in their physique. Robin wiped his eyes, thankful for the children before him.  

 

**~*~**

 

Later on that night, Robin sipped his herbal tea in bed. He watched his slumbering newborns in the bassinet beside him. He smiled. Chrom joined him, pulling the blankets over both of them and flopping back on his pillow. 

“Chrom?” Robin said. Chrom turned his head. 

“Yes?” he said. 

“Do you still think I’m attractive? It’s okay if you don’t. You watched me give birth to two babies in a row and held my legs apart the entire time...surely that changes your point of view.”

Chrom shook his head. “It doesn’t.”

“You don’t have to lie.”

“I’m not. I think you’re more beautiful now than ever.”

“Chrom--”

“I mean it, Robin. Those are my babies. You went through all that to give me children. I find that beautiful. I know you were in agonizing pain and I hated seeing you that way, but seeing them born was beautiful too. You’re just as attractive to me now as you were when we married.”

“But these  _ stretch marks _ , Chrom. The swell will go down given enough time but the marks will always be there.”

“Don’t care. You’re still beautiful.” Chrom sighed. “It’s too bad you can’t have more babies…”

Robin flushed. “Too bad?” he scoffed. “ _ Too bad?! _ Did I really just here you say that?!”

“Uh...maybe?”

“If you want me to have more babies, then you must really want me to kill you.” Robin shook his head, a light chuckle on his lips. 

Chrom reddened. “Ha...ha...Just kidding?”

Robin ruffled Chrom’s hair and laughed. One of the newborns started whimpering and Chrom jolted out of bed and quickly went to the bassinet. He picked the child up and cradled her in his arms. 

“Morgan, don’t wake your sister,” Chrom whispered, trying to hush her. “Daddy’s too tired to cuddle both of you.”

“ _ Ah-hem.” _ Robin cleared his throat. “I’m right here.”

Chrom turned around and smiled. He placed Morgan in his arms and reached into the bassinet. He returned to bed with Lucina in his hold. Robin studied his children and frowned. 

“I feel so guilty…” Robin confessed. “I was so disgusted by the idea of carry a child and giving birth. Now I have two children... I love them so much but I feel like my love can never atone for how cruel I was before they were born.”

“Robin, you have nothing to be guilty about.” Chrom sighed. “By loving them and appreciating them you live in peace with the events that had to take place in order to get them here. It’s not to say those events are right or wrong, but they happened, and this is the result. We can’t change that, my love. But we have a family now and we can make the best of it.”

“You’re right.” Robin nodded. “It took me a long time to realize my role as a parent. I told Lissa what my backup plan was, but I didn’t take it seriously until I thought I had to use it.  It wasn’t until I told Lissa to cut me open that I realized how much I loved my child, well,  _ children. _ That’s when I became willing to do anything for them, no matter the detriment to me.”

“You’re incredibly strong-willed. I won’t lie...I was a little faint while I was watching you give birth, but then I remembered if I fainted you’d kill me so I fought it off.”

Robin playfully rolled his eyes. “I noticed because your grip on my legs would get slack, then you’d squeeze them the life out of them. If I wasn’t preoccupied with excruciating pain I might’ve yelled at you for it.”

“Gods, Robin. Does anything get by you at all? Even when you’re having a baby you’re still keenly aware of everything going on.”

“They didn’t give me the title of Grandmaster for nothing.”

“I guess not.” He paused. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The events that had transpired were not what Robin had ever expected, but the products had brought him great joy. Even though the strain on his body would be permanently clear, he didn’t mind it. He would go through the strain over and over again if it meant having his children in his arms. He cursed Grima for having such ill intentions, but he couldn’t curse the good that had inadvertently sprung from those ill intentions. Robin vowed to destroy Grima should he ever crop up in his world, and destroy it once and for all. He had put him through incredible mental and physical anguish, and tried to take advantage of innocents in his quest to bring chaos to the world. Robin wasn’t sure how exactly to destroy Grima once and for all, or if the opportunity would ever present itself, but if it did, the choice would be clear. He’d do anything for his family, the family he never expected to have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the end of this story! I interpret this as being in the two-year time skip after Gangrel, the end picking up with the Valm arc, with Morgan and Lucina introduced a bit early. I hope you found this interesting. I was actually able to wrap the story up in a *shorter* fashion than my other stories, so I was successful with those intentions! I want to try perhaps doing some sort of one-shot as well to practice writing short stories even further. I could've easily poured like 40,000 more words into this concept but I have to learn not all stories need to be novel-length! lol
> 
> Thank you for reading! This was such an experiment on my part, and I actually enjoyed writing it a lot. I know Mpreg is not everyone's cup of tea and that's totally cool, but I thought I'd give it a shot. :)


End file.
